


Lead On

by VinhoVerde



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Amazon, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-22 16:14:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11383773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VinhoVerde/pseuds/VinhoVerde
Summary: All woman futuristic military (Warriors) with an elite group known as Amazons. Clarke and Lexa meet in a club the night before training begins. (Slow burn. Hopefully..a simmer if you will.)  90% of the characters will identify as women because frankly, I’m too lazy to come up with new characters, so love lady Jasper because you can.M for language





	1. Meet me in the Club

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the 100 or its characters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own the 100 or its characters.

        Standing outside on the balcony of the Worm Hole, the most popular club in the area, Clarke Griffin took the last sip of her top shelf whiskey while watching the starships and various transports fly overhead. She had been on Earth her whole life, but she was hoping all that would change in the coming months. Recently, humanity had discovered intergalactic space travel and had been trying to inhabit and set up law enforcement for the entire quadrant, even though no one asked them to. Whatever it takes to get off this world and see the stars, Clarke thought. _And now I have to pee. Fucking wonderful._

        As she made her way through the club, Clarke sighed as she bumped into a fifth person on her way to the restroom. The club’s electronic music boomed at a level where she could barely hear herself think. After much trepidation and a few well placed elbows she found herself in a long hallway that was slightly less loud, almost quiet enough to have a conversation with someone. Clarke was never a fan of the late night club lifestyle, but her best friend, Raven, had decided that they needed to go out on their “last night of freedom”. She arrived at the restroom to find that the line was practically out the door. _Great_. As the line wore down and she was able to enter the restroom, she noticed one set of women surrounding a sobbing woman and another set so drunk Clarke wasn’t entirely sure they even knew they were in the restroom. _I just want to pee, this is ridiculous._

        Finally reaching the least disgusting stall she could find, Clarke relieved herself and mentally prepared to run the gauntlet again.  She washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. _Well, haven’t turned into a vampire yet, so I guess that’s one positive._ She took a deep breath, straightened out her red leather jacket, and dried her hands on her dark jeans as she opened the door. _Alright, just a few more hours. I need to get a decent night’s sleep before training tomorrow._  Turning the corner on the way out of the restroom, she bumped into another person, knocking them back into the wall and almost completely off of their feet. Clarke reacted quickly, reaching out to grasp the woman’s upper arm to keep her from falling.

        The woman looked up and met Clarke’s eyes as she regained her balance. “Please, watch where you’re going. I could have ended up on this horrendous floor,” the dark haired woman huffed. “Do you see that? What is that?”

        Clarke saw what the other woman was pointing to.  A golf ball-sized mound of yellowish goo contrasted sharply against the white linoleum tiles of the hallway. Quickly deciding she had seen enough, Clarke’s eyes instead followed the line from the woman’s outstretched finger, up the lightly tanned arm she had just touched, past a prominent collar bone and angular jaw to the dark haired woman’s face.

        There was no other word for it, Clarke was staring. She couldn’t believe her luck. Not only was she looking at quite possibly one of the most gorgeous women she had ever seen, but she could also tell instantly that there was a quick wit and intelligence behind the vibrant green eyes. Those same eyes shifted to stare back at Clarke inquisitively, no doubt awaiting a response from her assailant. Clarke shook her head slightly, snapping out of the trance she’d been in for the past 10 seconds. “Fuck. No. Sorry, I was just so relieved to finally get out of that shit hole...I mean -” Clarke clamped her jaw shut as the woman across from her chuckled.

        “Such eloquence.”

        Clarke looked down, sheepishly, suddenly finding the unidentified goo on the floor very interesting. She steeled herself and lifted her eyes, lingering for a moment to admire the woman’s dark grey cocktail dress that accentuated her curves, but could still be categorized as classy. “I was about to go back to the bar, but, um, when you come back, could I buy you a drink or maybe a dance?”

        “You want to buy me a dance?” The woman replied with a smirk.

        Clarke rolled her eyes. “Smart ass. You know what I meant. So...was that a yes or not?”

        The woman pursed her lips. “One drink won’t hurt. And you owe me after nearly knocking me out. But it’ll have to be just the one. I have a … thing tomorrow.”

        Clarke eyed her curiously. I also have a thing tomorrow. I wonder if she’s also starting basic training. 

        “Well then, I’ll meet you at the back bar in a couple minutes?”

        The woman nodded slightly in response before heading into the restroom.

        Clarke stood dumbfounded for a few moments. She wasn’t sure what the hell just happened, she didn’t even get the woman’s name. Normally she’s smoother around pretty ladies, but tonight, this brown-haired beauty rendered her stuttering and nearly speechless. She hoped she didn’t come off as too much of a dumbass or overly crass. She had a tendency to have a foul mouth and was trying really hard to break the habit before joining the military. She knew it was going to get her into more trouble than it was worth.

        Clarke made her way back through the throngs of people to the bar in the far back of the club. She hoped she would see Raven along the way to find out how she was holding up and how much longer they would be here.

        Not knowing what the woman would be drinking, Clarke ordered two whiskeys and figured she could always have both if she wasn’t a fan. Clarke scanned the crowd a few minutes more before noticing that the woman was on her way over to her. _Well, at least I didn’t completely scare her off by being a total fucking fuck up._  As the woman got closer, she leaned in next to Clarke’s ear. Clarke panicked at first, not knowing what her intention was before the woman yelled loud enough to be heard over the music, “I’m sorry, I don’t think I got your name before. I’m Lexa.”

        Clarke smiled at Lexa and offered her hand, “I’m Clarke Griffin.  It’s nice to meet you.”  Lexa raised an eyebrow at the extended hand before hesitantly shaking it.

        “That’s not the usual way of greeting in this club,” Lexa responded, amused.

        “Yeah well, if I just started sticking my tongue down your throat how was I supposed to get your name?”

        Lexa’s laugh rang out in response and Clarke couldn’t help but think it was contagious in its sheer unbridled mirth. Clarke blushed in response. _Shit, I am beyond attracted to this woman. Play it cool Griffin, play it cool._

        “As much fun as I had hanging out in that hallway next to...what did you call it, a shit hole of a bathroom? I believe you mentioned drinks...”

        “That I did,” Clarke winked. Except Clarke knew she couldn’t wink, so she blinked. Clarke Blinked. Internally rolling her eyes at herself, she offered Lexa the second whiskey. Lexa raised an eyebrow at the drink. _Goddammit, that freaking eyebrow. Could you be any thirstier to you freaking thirsty thirst monster…Okay, I need to come up with a better saying than that._ Getting lost in her own thoughts, she realized that yet again, she was just staring at Lexa and saying nothing.

        “I, uh, wasn’t sure what you were drinking, so I got you some top shelf whiskey?” _Wow, brimming with confidence tonight aren’t you, Griffin. Why do I keep referring to myself by my last name?_

“Whiskey works for me. Thank you, Clarke Griffin.”

         _She just called me by my full name. She’s either secretly 50, in which case she looks damn good for 50, or just really likes calling people by their full name._ Clarke mused that she’d been called far worse than her own name.

        Lexa took Clarke’s free hand, to Clarke’s surprise, and led her outside to the balcony overlooking the city. It was still early in the night so there were only a few people outside looking to cool off. Most club goers were still engrossed in the dancing or were getting drunk inside on one of the clubs many levels.

        “So, tell me Clarke, what brings you out tonight?”

        Clarke debated how much of the truth to tell this woman. Yes, she was joining the military, but normally women her age were already officers or had at least been in the ranks for 5 years within the Warriors. Growing up, Clarke had always dreamed of being an Amazon soldier but life had gotten in the way. Now, she was attempting to join one of the most elite and celebrated branches within the Warriors. A group so elite, only the top 15 of each cohort’s recruits were accepted into the program. She was worried the woman would think her ridiculous for leaping headfirst into the Amazons. _I’d leap headfirst into...don’t finish that thought Griffin._

        As part of this elite group, Clarke would be able to join ranks to fly on the starships exploring the universe, upholding peace and order. How could she tell this woman that she was about to embark on a lifelong dream of hers and if it works out, that these may be her last few months on Earth?

        “I’m about to embark on a life long dream tomorrow and if it works out these could be my last few months on Earth.” _Wow, Griffin. Wow._ “My best friend insisted we go out tonight before we became ‘real adults’.”

        “Life long dream, hmm? You’d think you’d be home studying, or packing, if you plan on venturing out into the unknown.”

         _I’d like to explore her unkn….Griffin. FOCUS. MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER._

“Yeah, well, I guess I thought if I’m not ready by now, I’ll never be ready.” Clarke shrugged and ran her fingers through her hair. Remembering her drink, she took a healthy sip and sighed. She never felt comfortable talking about herself or trying to justify any of her decisions.

        Lexa looked over at her, eyes searching Clarke’s features. She lightly cleared her throat before continuing her questioning. “What exactly will you be doing tomorrow that is going to be so ‘life altering’?”

        Before Clarke could respond, a tornado in the form on one Raven Reyes came flying in.

        “Claaaarke! I lost you for a while there! Where were you?!” Raven yelled, a bit too loud for the much quieter outdoor area, as she stumbled onto the balcony. She was dragging a smaller red head, who Clarke swore she had seen before, behind her.

        “I went to the bathroom when I ran into Lexa,” she said as she gestured over to her companion.

        “Don’t forget we need to get up eeeearly tomorrow!” Raven bellowed in a sing-song voice while trying to lean over to tap Clarke on the shoulder. She had forced Clarke to help her pick out a tight red dress that left little to the imagination, and this dress was now constricting her drunken movements.  Clarke, for the second time that night, kept a woman from falling over as she propped Raven back into an upright and locked position. Amazingly, Raven managed to spin around and practically carry the unknown redhead she was with back out onto the dance floor.

         Clarke looked at Lexa, who was wincing slightly, “Now, that. That was my best friend, Raven. She was the one who insisted on us coming out tonight.”

         Lexa snorted and rolled her eyes.  _Oh for fuck’s sake, even her snorts are adorable._

         “Yes, I know the type. My friend, Anya, is around here somewhere...probably dancing with some excessively muscular man, with whom she got acquainted.”

         _Did she just use ‘whom’ in a sentence? At a club? In the year 2525?_

         “I don’t mean…” Lexa paused, looking slightly embarrassed. “I didn’t mean that in a negative way. Neither of us get out much in social settings and I’m afraid my social skills aren’t up to standard. I sometimes come off rather harsh or judgemental.” She looked a little ashamed and a bit self conscious, like Clarke would storm out of the club and never speak to her again.

         A slight smile began to curve upward on Clarke’s lips. _At least I’m not the only one who is awkward as fuck. Or whom is awkward as fuck?_   “No, no, it’s okay. I didn’t take it like that. I sometimes think I’m patient zero for the ‘Foot-in-mouth’ epidemic going around.”

         Lexa appeared to physically relax as she let out a chuckle at Clarke’s joke. They continued to chat, relaying funny stories about their friends and adventures each had enjoyed over the past few years. They never delved into deeper topics, despite Clarke feeling like they had known each other for years, instead sticking to the silly and mundane.

         Neither knew exactly how long they had been chatting out on the deck. They noticed it had started to get a bit more crowded, but they were so engulfed in the conversation, they hadn’t really paid it any mind. Their conversation was interrupted by a dirty blonde in a blue cocktail dress emerging from the club. “Lexa! There you are! I’ve been looking for you! We should get going! Big day tomorrow!”

         “Oh, what’s going on for you tomorrow?” Clarke asked, hoping it wasn’t Lexa’s wedding or anything. Another life altering event.

         “Military training.”

         Clarke looked at Lexa incredulously, “No way! Me too!”

         She openly scanned Lexa’s physique, something she was impressed with herself for not doing more of during their long conversation. Having a little more light than when they were near the bathroom, Clarke saw that the woman was more muscular that she had originally realized. When she had grabbed the woman’s biceps early, she had felt a decent sized muscle, thinking she must work out, but now looking at her closer, she realized that this woman was very fit and looked like she could take down a bear. _That’s it, you’re done. This woman is the love of your life. At least get her number._

        Lexa winced, “I don’t think it’s that exciting, but in a way...yes. I’m the commander on the local base.”

        Clarke had a look of disappointment on her face “Shit, does that mean we can’t be friends?” She paused a minute while all the pieces began to fall into place. “Wait, you mean Lexa? Like, Lexa Fucking Woods, Commander of the Amazons?” Clarke stared at Lexa like she had never seen her before, which, since she had only met her a few hours ago, wasn’t that hard to do. There were never pictures of current Amazons, for security reasons. _Not that I would be using them for...nope, don’t go there Griffin. Really starting to embrace referring to myself as Griffin._ Lexa was the youngest commander on record and her reputation was known throughout the area. _ How many Lexas did you think there were that you didn’t put two and two together, idiot._

         Lexa laughed at Clarke’s crass language. “That’s not my middle name, but yes, that’s me.” She leaned in closer to whisper in Clarke’s ear, “And, friend...I’m going to be your worst nightmare.”

        Clarke saw Lexa’s smirk and chuckled nervously. _Holy Shit, I’m one part terrified, one part aroused. On second thought, make that two parts aroused._ She shook her head as Anya led Lexa out of the club. She somehow became even more anxious and excited for the next day. I _have to go find Raven. Tomorrow is going to get interesting._ She also had the feeling that she was about to get in way over her head.

 


	2. Basic

     Clarke groaned and threw her alarm clock across the room, smashing it against a wall.  _ Piece of shit deserved it.  _ The sun was just barely coming up and shining brightly through the curtains. Clarke ended up staying later than she had planned at the Worm Hole, having to search for Raven among the crowd of people. She was in a better mood at the end of the night after talking to Lexa than she had been in weeks. She didn’t realize how stressed and crazy preparing for basic had been until last night, when she finally got a chance to relax and just chat about nothing in particular.  _ The company certainly didn’t hurt. _

     Now regrettably awake and vertical, Clarke trudged down the hallway and banged on Raven’s door, “Get up asshole or we’re going to be late!” 

     She flung the door open to Raven’s room and was about to storm in when she noticed there was more than one color of hair on the pillow. She stopped mid-step.  _ Either Raven had more fun than I did last night, or she stole a wig. Either way, I want some details. _

     “Gooo awaay,” was mumbled somewhere from amongst the pile of blankets, pillows, and hair. 

     Clarke rolled her eyes. She knew basic was as important to Raven as it was to her and neither could afford to miss a minute. “I don’t care how good of a night you had, it’s time to get up. We have basic. MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!”  _ It works on TV shows. _ Raven barely stirred.

     In a huff, Clarke threw up her hands and walked back out of the room in order to get herself ready.  _ I can’t wait for her. Plus, I might get to see Lexa today. _ She started to daydream about what might happen at training today.

     Her musings were interrupted when a blur of brunette hair flew by her. Clarke wished she could have stopped Raven as she ran by. 

     “You snooze, you lose, bitch!” was all Clarke heard as Raven slammed the bathroom door shut behind her. 

     “This is not over!” Clarke yelled back and went off to make some breakfast for both of them.  _ There isn’t enough time for pancakes...Cereal it is. I could always be a chef if this doesn’t work out. _

     30 minutes later, Raven emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and wearing her military issued fatigues. Raven eyed Clarke curiously, as she dried her hair, tilting her head.

     “Uh, why aren’t you ready yet, Clarke?”

     Clarke shot a death glare at Raven and rushed to the bathroom. There would be time later to explain to Raven how she was the worst roommate to ever roommate in the history of roommateness. Instead, she settled for a quick rebuttal.

     “Hey, don’t forget about your little friend you left in your bed!” Clarke didn’t stick around to enjoy Raven’s slack-jawed look.  _ Yeah I noticed, you shower hogging, bathroom stealing, toilet usurper.  _

     Clarke showered and dressed as fast as she possibly could. The fatigues fit her fairly well. The top was a little tight and if she unbuttoned a few buttons, it would probably be downright scandalous. She hurriedly brushed her teeth and tossed her hair into a messy bun. As she exited the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of red hair leaving the front door as Raven closed it behind her.

     Clarke simply grinned.

     “Oh, you’re going to tell me about that.” 

     Raven rolled her eyes, before going to grab both of their suitcases. They contained their essentials for the next 3 months. Raven suddenly looked very serious.

     “You ready for this, Clarke?” 

     Raven knew Clarke had been dreaming about this her whole life, and this wasn’t the same as going to her first day of lectures at medical school. Clarke was finally getting a chance to act on  _ her _ dreams and not what her mother had dreamed for her.  _ I can always fall back on being a kickass surgeon.   _ Some positions even required a certain amount of medical training, so she was hoping to have a leg up on some of the others entering the training. 

     “Let’s do this!” Clarke exclaimed, assuredly, and walked out the door. 

     “Fucker, come back here and get your own suitcase. I am not dragging this shit down the stairs.” 

     Already halfway down the hall, Clarke rolled her eyes before turning on her heal and re-entering their small apartment, shoving past Raven in the doorway.

     Clarke stood for a second, looking at her suitcase.  _ I got this. You’ve been training for years.  _ With a deep breath, she grabbed her suitcase and stepped out of the apartment, walking double time meet Raven by the bus stop to take them to Polaris.

 

 

     Arriving in Polaris, the Warrior Headquarters, was nothing like Clarke imagined. After hopping a bus from their apartment, which her mother had graciously offered to check in on every few weeks, they had to walk about a mile before reaching the outpost with the entry gate for new recruits. From there, the group of women had been herded onto another bus that, after checking everyone’s identification, had driven onto the base. Once within the gates, it seemed they had been driving for another 20 minutes before she began to see a hint of civilization.

     Growing up she had heard rumors about the huge glass skyscrapers and the massive spaceships and vehicles that were stationed around the base. The rumors didn’t do the smaller city justice at all. The main part of the base sat nestled in the mountains with a glistening large lake at the foot. There were two ways to get into Polaris - through the gates or a very long swim. She could just barely see the spires that would create a protective shield around the small city if it was ever attacked.  _ We really have come a long way with technology. I wonder if I could make that me-sized so I could have a bubble and just run into shit. Or maybe at least for my phone.  _ Clarke was on her fifth phone of the year, the last one tragically run over by a stampede of geese. Okay, one goose. And it hadn’t so much stampeded as it had pooped directly on the screen. Clarke wasn’t taking any chances and had immediately traded it in for a new one.

     Polaris was not only the headquarters for the Warrior leadership, it also contained the training facility for new recruits as well as housing and care for Warriors returning for grounder duty and those stationed there. There were multiple branches of military within the Warriors, all made up of women. Blade was the “muscle”, used to fill infantry roles anywhere boots were needed on the ground. It was considered one of the more prestigious branches due to the risks and danger involved. Root was the technology sector. It was also the largest branch which developed everything from the personal shields, combat suits and big-ass guns to the apps on their issued phones used to order dinner from the mess hall. The smallest group were the Docs, which made up their entire medical staff. If the Root did their job right, the Docs didn’t have much to do except research. The final group were known as the Amazons. They were the heart and soul of the Warriors. They were elite fighting machines, doctors on the fly, and were well versed in all aspects of battle, strategy and negotiations.

     Most of the military forces had left earth nearly 30 years ago to go train on Mars because they thought Earth training was making them weak and unprepared for the threats of the universe. No one could come up with a good counter argument and so, that’s how it went. The Warriors were founded well over 100 years ago, both out of necessity and the desire to defend the Earth when threats arose. Since its founding, the Warriors had thrived and become known as one of the greatest militaries to exist in the history of humankind. 

     Around the same time other military forces had left earth, the women had developed, designed and launched a battle station known as the Ark into orbit. It held battle grounds, classrooms, dormitories and was the main training hall for the Amazons. 

     Climbing off the bus after Raven, Clarke found herself in a field on the edge of the buildings surrounded by about 300 women. Only 200 would successfully complete the first month of grounders training before heading up to the Ark to complete their last 2 months of training before graduation.  _ 15 out of 300….why do I tell myself the odds?  _ She hoped that both her and Raven would make it, or if they didn’t both get into the Amazons, they would be placed into one of the other branches. Clarke had no doubts that Raven would thrive in the Root.

     Looking past the large group of new recruits, Clarke could see some, she decided, very scantily clad women combat training with spears. The outfits were a neutral tan color, form-fitting and, upon further thought, she realized that the scant amount of clothing was probably functional in that it wouldn’t hinder their movements.  _ They look like they’re floating on air. I wonder why they’re using spears rather than guns...maybe for hand to hand combat? _

     Clarke was pulled from her musings by a loud shout from the edge of the group nearest the buildings.

     “Recruits! Welcome to Polaris. You have come here today hoping to join the ranks of the Warriors. We thank you for this. It is women like you that make us who we are. We hope we live up to your expectations as much as you live up to ours.” 

     Clarke strained to stand on her tip toes to try to see who was talking.  _ Was that Lexa?  _ She had only heard her voice the night before, and definitely not in this kind of setting. She glanced at Raven, but she was staring straight ahead and probably wouldn’t recognize Lexa anyway.

     “My name is Lexa, but you may address me as Heda or Commander.” 

_      Well that was answered quickly.  _

     “You will be broken into groups of 30 for the first month. This will be your Kru. After the first month, your Kru will be reduced to 20 and then finally 5.”  _ 300 divided by 30 is 10, so 10 groups, then 20..okay that’s how the 200 go up to the Ark and then 5...so that leaves 50 people...I guess the 50 goes down to 15 somehow...Okay that was far too much math for today.  _ Clarke focused back in on Lexa’s voice that was being projected seemingly from everywhere.

     “You will be assigned a group leader. That group leader will stay with you in your dormitory, help show you the ropes, and, for lack of another word, be your mom, for the next month. If you have a problem, you go to your group leader. If you want to quit, you go to your group leader. If you want to succeed, well that’s up to you. You were all given a temporary scannable tattoo on your neck when you arrived. This will serve as your identification. There will be multiple projections with names on them. Head toward the projections, this is where your Kru meets for the first time. Good luck and  _ ste yuj. _ ”

     As the names popped up, the women surrounding Clarke and Raven began to disperse as they saw their Kru assignments.

     “Looks like we’re in a different Kru. Maybe we can meet up at dinner?” 

     Clarke nodded at Raven’s inquiry. As Clarke walked towards her name, her thoughts began to wander.  _ I wonder who I end up getting for my Leader. Oh god, what if it’s Lexa? I mean that would be fantastic, but also I don’t know if I can spend 24 hours a day with her without flirting my face off. Plus if I flirt with her she might kill me. What if I’m not allowed to flirt? I should have read the stupid manual more closely regarding crushing on your superior. Am I crushing?  _ Clarke bumped into the woman in front of her who had stopped when she arrived at the projection. 

     “Oh, sorry about that. Wasn’t watching where I was going.” 

     The dark haired woman glanced at Clarke before rolling her eyes and facing forward.  _ Real friendly bunch we got here. _

     “Looks like we have everyone,” a voice beside the nearest projection piped up,  “Welcome to SkaiKru. My name is Anya.” 

     Clarke’s eyes widened in realization. It was Lexa’s friend from the club last night.  _ I don’t know if this is better or worse than Lexa.  _

     “As Heda stated, you will be mine for the next 30 days. I am in charge of your workouts, your sleep, your food and your life. By the end of it, you will be one step closer to being a Warrior. Some of you will even be one step closer to being an Amazon.”  _ She talks like Lexa. Apparently you take classes to learn how to talk like a cold, distant hardass. _

     “Now if you will all follow me, we will get you set up in the dormitories and then your training will be begin immediately.”

     Clarke looked back across the field to see if she could spot Raven. Instead, she realized she was looking directly at Lexa and Lexa was looking directly back at her. She swore she saw a hint of a smirk at the corner of Lexa’s lips.  _ Well at least she remembers me from last night.  _ Lexa winked.  _ Ugh, she can even wink. Why can’t I wink? Do people go to winking school?  _ As Clarke turned back around, she realized she had already fallen behind, with her Kru practically at the front door of the building marked SkaiKru. It looked like all the other Krus had also begun filing into the surrounding buildings. She didn’t know what that wink was about, but it reminded her of Lexa’s warning last night about being her worst nightmare. _ I am not going to survive this training if I get winked at every day. I guess I’ll have to make new friends or at least some fun enemies to help take my mind off Lexa.  _ She sighed as they entered a low ceilinged room with 15 bunk beds and a single dresser behind each.

_      Well, float me. This part is going to suck. _


	3. Grounder Training

After passing the marker for the fifth mile, Clarke realized she’d made a huge mistake.  _ I was wrong.  _ This _ part sucks.  _ She was in pretty good shape, but after doing more pushups than she could count and enough ab exercises that her abs will one day have abs, she was struggling with her run.

“SkaiKru! Rest up and grab some water. We stop here. It’s time for your first lesson: Medical Emergency Procedures.” Clarke breathed a sigh of relief. Having gone to medical school and being a skilled general surgeon, she knew she had this covered. It was the main reason she was a few years older than the other recruits. Her mother had insisted that she get a degree and wanted her to stay “somewhere safe”. Her mother owned and ran the local hospital outside of Polaris for the civilians in the area. Once Clarke graduated, she went against her mother’s wishes and submitted an application to the Warriors. At first her mother wouldn’t even speak to her, but eventually her mother accepted that this was something Clarke was never going to let go and promised her a spot at the hospital if things didn’t pan out.

After about an hour of Anya explaining how to wrap a wound, care for a wound, and various other medical procedures, Clarke was bored out of her mind. Her eyes began to wander. As she looked over, she spotted a figure walking toward them.  _ I think that’s Lexa. Good gods, girl, not everyone is Lexa. Stop trying to make Lexa everyone. It’s definitely her, though. She’s so fluid in motion. It’s like she’s gliding on air.  If there was an army of her, I would join that army. Wait, I am joining that army. _

Anya glanced up from the faux wound she was dressing to see Lexa approaching.  She immediately straightened her posture, and cleared her throat. 

“Commander, I would like to present to you this year’s SkaiKru.” 

Lexa remained regal, with her chin held high and her hands folded behind her back.

“Is there a reason you are all seated on the ground when you are in the presence of Heda?” 

Lexa had barely uttered the words before the entire Kru attempted to get up, practically falling over each other in their haste to stand.

“Well, we are doing Grounder training,” an overconfident, under-oxygenated Clarke blurted out amidst the chaos of rising recruits.  _ Did you really just say that Clarke? Trying to be punny? Are you an idiot? Keep your mouth shut! _

Lexa turned her attention to the culprit responsible for the out of turn comment. Clarke thought maybe Lexa was holding back a smirk, but she would never tell as sudden terror overcame her for letting her mouth run. 

“I did not give you permission to address me. And you should never address a commanding officer in such a disrespectful tone. It is your first day, so I will go easy on you. However, should you do it again, you will no longer be welcome here. You have SkaiKru laundry duty for the first two weeks.”

Clarke looked quickly to Anya. She was never very good at reading facial expressions, but Anya was either really pissed or slightly constipated.  _ Well you screwed up that one, Griffin. Again with the last name thing, what is wrong with me.  _ Clarke nodded at Lexa.

“Yes, Heda, as you command,” and did a ridiculous low bow. There was definitely a smirk on Lexa’s face when Clarke straightened. Lexa schooled her features before turning back to the group.

“The bow was unnecessary, standing is enough.” Lexa began to pace in front of the lined up Kru.  “I will be checking in on each group at least once a day. The scoring is a bit complex and will be explained to you in the future in further detail. For now, know that there is a Kru ranking and within the Kru itself, each member will earn points and merits for its team. At the end of the first month, Krus will be ranked. The top 20 from each Kru will move on to the Ark. Additionally, there will be benefits for the top overall Krus.” 

_ Fuck, more math.  _

“This ranking is not meant to divide you,” Lexa continued, “In fact, if you work together, you may find that it benefits the entire Kru, and that the bottom 10 are just more suited for another group. You are not kicked out of the Warriors if you do not make it up the Ark. You will simply be re-evaluated for a position that better suits your specific skill set. Amazons are elite for a reason, if all of you were to be accepted...well tt wouldn’t make it very elite now would it? Questions?”

A smaller girl, who didn’t quite look old enough to have enlisted, raised her hand. “Yes, I was wondering if we can get demerits along with merits for our Kru.”

Lexa paused before answering. “Are you planning on breaking any rules Cadet…”

The smaller girl gulped, “Jasper. Cadet Jasper, Heda.”

“Well Cadet Jasper, yes, you can. You see Cadet Griffin here should have been given a demerit. However, we hadn’t discussed the Kru scoring system yet, which, for reference, is known as Grounder Cruicible, so she was simply given a punishment.” Everyone seemed to have a confused look on their face, which made Lexa immediately realize her mistake by referring to Clarke by her name. She hadn’t demanded it earlier.  _ Oh, please recover from this Lexa, I don’t need to get the reputation for being the teacher’s pet. Although, with you as my teacher...Nope Clarke. N.O. She is your superior. No more thoughts, no more words. _

“Unfortunately for Cadet Griffin, her reputation precedes her. Anya has already submitted a report on many of you. If you are going to do well here, I would recommend getting noticed.” Lexa looked at Clarke, “For positive reasons.”

_ Well I guess that’s the best it’s going to get. She didn’t say my rep was good or bad, so there’s that. I’ll have to put out feelers at dinner tonight. _

Lexa cleared her throat. “That is all for today. I would like to meet with you individually at some point to discuss your expectations and your future here. By then, Anya should have a decent writeup of your personalities, strengths and weaknesses. Don’t for a second think that you are not being evaluated with every move and action. Ste yuj.” Lexa briefly made eye contact with Clarke before turning swiftly and walking away. 

_ Great start to your first day, Griffin. Ugh, STOP IT WITH THE LAST NAME THING, YOU WEIRDO. _

Anya continued where she had left off with her teachings for another 20 minutes, followed by a further explanation of the Scoring system. Soon after, they began their long walk back to the dormitory for showers and dinner.

Dinner that night was by far the least eventful activity of the day. Clarke met a few more of her Kru members. None of them seemed to hold a grudge against her earlier actions or the fact that Lexa knew her name.  _ I just better never call her Lexa in front of anyone.  _ She started to get a good feeling like she would be able to succeed here. She immediately started to categorize her Kru by who would be most likely to end up at the top and which group would be the weaker links. She considered recommending the stronger members take the weaker ones under their wing immediately, but figured it may be too soon and it could be viewed as a power move. Her motives were for the good of the Kru, a team is only as strong as its weakest member. Build up that weakest member, and you have a stronger Kru.  _ Tomorrow, I’ll mention partnering up to Anya. Maybe she’ll have a suggestion on how to go about it. _

Exhausted and mentally worn out, Clarke was on auto-pilot following Anya and the others back to the dormitory. They were given a free hour before bed, but based on the zombie walks, everyone would be using that extra hour for sleep to prepare for the next day. She had just brushed her teeth and was about to enter back into the bunk room when she heard, “Cadet Griffin, a minute of your time.” She turned to find Lexa leaning against one of the walls down the hallway.  _ She looks relaxed, more like she did at the club. Maybe she’s disabled Commander Mode for a minute. _

Clarke walked up to Lexa, unsure of how to greet her.  _ Instead you’re going to stand here like you forgot your own name, let alone how to say hi. _

“Clarke, I wanted to talk about earlier.” Lexa hesitated, “I can’t ever seem to play favorites here. If Admiral Indra ever found out that I…well I just can’t show favoritism. So I know we’ve met outside of here, but we have to remain professional at all times. In private, you can call me Lexa, but please call me Heda or Commander when we aren’t alone.”  _ We’re going to be alone! Wait, I don’t think that was the moral of the story. _

In a sudden burst of confidence, Clarke leaned in closer to Lexa, sparing a look down at Lexa’s lips. “Professional, eh? I guess I can do professional, Lexa.” Lexa blinked at her.  _ Shit, I did not mean to come on that strong, I must be more exhausted than I thought. Quick, think of something to get her to laugh it off.  _ “For what it's worth, I am sorry about earlier. Remember that ‘foot-in-mouth’ epidemic I mentioned last night.”

Lexa winced at Clarke’s words.  _ I really need to stop talking if every sentence is going to get this poor of a reaction.  _

“We can never mention last night either.” 

Clarke started to protest before Lexa raised her hand to stop her. “I know all we did was talk, but even a friendship is forbidden during training. Please, Clarke, just go along with this. At least for now.” Glancing around, Lexa seemed to realize that she had fallen out of her commander mode.  _ Does she let her guard down for other trainees as well?  _ “I have to go, but sleep well Clarke Griffin. Tomorrow is another day. Ste yuj.”

Clarke, confused by the sudden coldness, simply muttered, “Ste yuj, Heda,” as Lexa walked away. It was then that one of her Kru members, Octavia, found Clarke staring down the hallway, seemingly into nothingness.

“Hey! Earth to Griff! Are you coming to bed or have you mastered sleeping while standing?” 

Clarke slowly turned her head to look at Octavia. “Yeah, yeah of course. I’ll be right there.”

A few minutes later, as Clarke lay in bed about to fall asleep, she had two thoughts. One, she needed to track down and talk to Raven tomorrow. And two, she was most definitely, hopelessly, perhaps falling in...crush with Lexa.  _ Uggh _ .  _ I am so screwed. _


End file.
